The death toll from a colliery flood in southwest China's Guizhou Province rose to 12 when rescuers
recovered four more bodies, sources with the local government said
Wednesday.
The dead miners include the director and deputy manager of the
mine, said Jiang Congyue, chief of Qianxi County.
The water poured into Longhua colliery in Qianxi County at 6:10
PM on Tuesday, when 20 miners were working. Six escaped and 14 were
trapped.
Rescuers managed to pull two miners out alive.
Jiang said initial investigations show the flood was caused by
recent rainfall which caused water to build up in a neighboring
deserted coal mine. The water poured in and caught the miners off
guard.
Longhua, a township-owned coal mine with an annual designed
production capability of 60,000 tons, is undergoing technological
upgrading to reach the goal of producing 300,000 tons of coal a
year.
(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2007)